(Source: SUIDEN TERRASSE Co., Ltd.)
SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE celebrated its 7th anniversary on September 19, 2025, marking the beginning of its eighth year of operation. Since opening in 2018, the hotel has pursued the mission of “producing the charm of local regions and making Japan’s regional cities destinations for the world,” offering lodging experiences that make full use of the resources of Yamagata’s Shonai area. In April 2024, the operating company was renamed LOCAL RESORTS Inc., expanding its business scope to include the development and management of new hotels rooted in local resources.
(Source: SUIDEN TERRASSE Co., Ltd.)
In fiscal year 2024, the hotel welcomed approximately 50,000 guests and worked to uncover new tourism resources and enhance the experiential value of the Shonai region. Over the past seven years, SUIDEN TERRASSE focused on “creating services from zero to one,” but as it enters its eighth year, the focus has shifted to the phase of “taking one to ten.” By further enhancing existing services to add higher value, the hotel aims to strengthen its position as a destination hotel that can compete in the global tourism market, contributing to the growth of both local visitors and regional engagement.
(Source: SUIDEN TERRASSE Co., Ltd.)
The theme for fiscal year 2025 is “Refining the resources of Yamagata Shonai and elevating the experiential value to a globally recognized level.” To achieve this, the hotel is promoting key initiatives such as The Rice Field and Rice Project and YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY. In The Rice Field and Rice Project, members experience cultivating organic JAS-certified “Tsuyahime” rice in fields managed by contracted farmers and receive freshly harvested rice at home. The project is carried out in collaboration with Dewa Yahee Co., Ltd. of Haguro, Tsuruoka City, and aims to deepen understanding of “food circulation” through safe, high-quality rice production.
(Source: SUIDEN TERRASSE Co., Ltd.)
Launched in 2023, YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY is an event held in collaboration with local sake breweries and wineries to convey the culture of sake and cuisine through pairing dinners. To date, the event has been held with four breweries and one winery in the Shonai region. The pairings, carefully crafted by Executive Chef Yoshitaka Sato and the brewers, along with their stories about the history of Shonai’s sake and cuisine, have received high praise. Inspired by a suggestion from Koichiro Sato, President of Koikawa Sake Brewery, the hotel also collaborated with Pinot Collina Matsugaoka and Koikawa Sake Brewery to produce original wines and sake. The staff’s participation in the brewing and winemaking process forms part of this initiative, which continues to evolve as an event that conveys the culture and craftsmanship of Shonai’s sake through experiential learning and themed programs.
(Source: SUIDEN TERRASSE Co., Ltd.)
Furthermore, the Sustainable Challenge program, launched in 2023, entered its third year in 2025. Against the backdrop of global environmental issues, rising material and energy costs, and other social challenges, the hotel continues to address these issues from multiple perspectives. Guided by principles such as “continuing to share the charm of Yamagata Shonai’s nature, climate, and people” and “communicating the appeal of Yamagata Shonai’s food and taking responsibility for it,” the hotel promotes environmentally and socially conscious initiatives. One of the key efforts for fiscal 2025 includes placing original skincare sets in guest rooms that incorporate the hotel’s hot spring water and extracts from locally sourced Yamagata cherries, allowing guests to experience the unique value of local resources during their stay.
(Source: SUIDEN TERRASSE Co., Ltd.)
General Manager Yayoi Naka expressed her gratitude, stating, “Thanks to everyone’s continued support, we are honored to celebrate the 7th anniversary of our opening today, September 19. This would not have been possible without our valued guests and the unwavering support of the local community.” She continued, “As the tourism market and travelers’ values evolve, we are committed to focusing once again on the unchanging beauty of Yamagata Shonai and striving to create a hotel that continues to be loved by our guests in the coming year.”